From graphics cards to keyboards, it seems almost every component of the modern computer has an alternative model designed for gamers.

These variations are intended to improve the gaming experience.

And in most cases, they do an excellent job.

A gaming mouse has greater sensitivity and places additional buttons within reach of the thumb.

A gaming graphics card can display next-gen graphics in ultra high-quality without dropping in FPS.

But what about a gaming router?

What is a Gaming Router?

As the name implies, a gaming router is a router designed to overcome some of the problems faced by online gamers.

Many people speculate that this means increased bandwidth.

In reality, the bandwidth capabilities of your average router are enough to handle online gaming. What really sets the gaming router apart from the standard router are the unique features that it includes.

Are you struggling to decide if a gaming router is a worthy investment? Will it really improve your online gaming?

It is a worthy investment and the answer is “yes”. Let’s look at a few of the features of gaming routers that will improve your online gaming experience.

1. QoS Features

The major benefit of a gaming router is the increased level of control in relation to Quality of Service(QoS).

Nearly every router has some degree of QoS control, but gaming routers take it to the next level. QoS is how a router decides to prioritize the traffic it controls.

For example, if you’re playing a game, a roommate is in the other room downloading a torrent, and your girlfriend is watching a show on Netflix, then who is given priority with bandwidth? If using a normal router, you may notice that your game begins to lag and your FPS may drop.

A gaming router is designed to understand the type of traffic required to play a game. It then typically separates traffic into two separate streams. One stream is gaming related traffic and the other stream is everything else. The stream of gaming traffic is given priority over the other stream when there is conflicting interest.

However, it will have a noticeable impact on your online gaming. This is particularly important if you play online shooting games that require twitch reflexes or fighting games where you are expected to react in milliseconds.

2. MU-MIMO

Also known as “Multiple-In, Multiple-Out”, this is another technology that will decrease competition for bandwidth and thus improve your online gaming experience. The standard router has a single stream for output and for input.

Every device that is using this router shares that stream in a rotating fashion. Every additional device connected to the router is another device that it must communicate with before it can return to your gaming laptop or console.

As you may have guessed, MU-MIMO increases the number of available data streams.

Ideally, it will provide enough streams to match the number of devices. That means there will be a constant, unbroken stream of data between your gaming device and your router. This results in fewer lost packets, less latency, and an overall increase in performance.

Do You Need A Gaming Router?

Gaming routers are notoriously expensive.

It’s important to consider if you really need one before investing. If you are the type of gamer who wants to be at the top of the leader boards or who leads the most fearsome PvP clans, then a gaming router is a smart investment. It’s one of the few ways you can improve your performance outside of actually playing the game.

If you’re interested in pursuing e-sports, then you should consider a gaming router a mandatory investment.

These are the same high-end routers that professional gamers and gaming teams around the world are using. They are especially helpful when your team is gaming from a singular location and sharing the same router.

The MU-MIMO features will ensure every play has access to their own dedicated data stream.

Finally, if you are a serious gamer who lives in a “data-hungry” household, then you should seriously consider a gaming router.

This would be any household with multiple people who like to stream high-quality videos, download torrents, or play online games. In all of these scenarios, the benefits of a gaming router make it a smart purchase.